Supreme leader Khamenei in Iran but avoiding public appearances, Russian envoy says

(Corrects typographical error in headline)

March 31 (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in the country but is refraining from making public appearances "for understandable reasons", the RTVI news outlet quoted Russia's ambassador to the country as saying on Tuesday.

Mojtaba replaced his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed when Israel and the United States launched their war on Iran more than a month ago. The U.S. has said it believes Mojtaba himself is wounded and likely disfigured.

Russia has close ties with Iran, with which it signed a strategic partnership treaty last year.

(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov and Anna Peverieri; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)